Lowering device



R. D. DELAMERE July 14, 1931.

LOWERING DEVIC-E Filed July 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l l l Z9 31 Z7 July 14, 1931,

R. D. DELAMERE LOWERING DEYICE Filed July 16, 1928 LMQABE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 14, 1931. R. D. DELAMERE LOWERING DEVICE Filed July 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 In l/efliolf Fudo/f l7. 17f! /dmere M Patented July 14, 1931 PATE FFHCE RUDOLF D. DELAMERE, OF TORONTD, ONTARIO, CANADA, .ASSIG-NOR TO DELAMERE AND \VILLIAMS, F TORONTO, ONTABEO, CANADA LOWERIN G DEVICE Application filed July 16, 1928. Serial No. 293,100.

The principal objects of this invention are to facilitate the work of clearing soiled dishes from restaurants and transporting them to a washing room and to provide a device to operate automatically to receive and carry away the trays of dishes.

A further and important object is to provide a structure which may be placed in any convenient position on the floor of the dining room and which will not be unsightly in appearance.

A still further and important object is to provide a mechanism which will be quite safe for inexperienced persons to use and which will avoid losses through breakage of dishes due to careless handling in placing in the device.

The principal features of the invention consist in the novel construction of a frame and an arrangement of endless carrier belts extending downwardly through the floor adapted to receive the trays to be lowered from the top end and of the arrangement of means for supporting the trays placed in the device and delivering them automatically to the lowering members.

A further and important feature consists in the novel arrangement of a carrier belt at the lower end of the lowering device to receive and remove the trays automatically from same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device as it appears upon the floor, with a tray resting in the receiving opening in the top thereof.

Figure 2 is a side elevation and part sectional view of the upper end of the frame of the device with the cover removed.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the top of the device.

Figure 4: is an elevational view of the lower end of the frame, showing the driving mechanism and the arrangement of the horizontal carrier.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the lower portion of the frame, showing a detail of the driving mechanism.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the lower end of the frame, taken from the side of the horizontal carrier.

Figure 7 is a perspective detail of the automatic starting mechanism and one of the tray supporting cam members.

The device as herein illustrated is formed with a pair of rectangular metal frames 1 which are rigidly connected by the cross bars 2 and are adapted to rest upon the floor over an opening therein.

A pair of journal bearings 3 are arranged in the top member of each of the frames 1 adjacent to the sides and in these bearings are mounted the shafts 4t and 5.

Mounted rigidly upon each of the shafts and spaced from the frames 1 are the cam members 6, two cams being arranged on each shaft and these are spaced equidistant and arranged in opposite pairs. Each of the cams 6 is formed with'a semicircular rim 7 which is stepped radially inward at 8 to meet a smaller concentric portion 9 which is connected with the outer rim by a tangential portion 10.

Sprocket wheels 11 are rotatably mounted on the shafts 4E and 5 preferably at the outward sides of the cams 6 and endless chain belts 12 are looped over the top of these sprocket wheels and extend vertically downward therefrom each side of the shafts 4 and 5.

Triangular shaped brackets 13 are secured to the chains 12 at regular intervals and these are spaced in such a manner that the right angular edges register with the radial step 8 of the cam at each revolution thereof when the said radial step moves to the vertical upper position shown in the drawings.

The frame 1 is enclosed by a casing 14 which has a rectangular opening 15 of a size slightly larger than the trays to be used. The trays, when inserted through the opening, will rest upon the semi-circular rim portions 7 of the cams 6.

Vertical guide bars 16 which have bevelled upper ends are supported on suitable cross bars 17 carried by the frame 1. These guide bars are arranged at all four sides and are spaced so as to allow the sides of the trays to slip freely downward therebetween.

Channel-shaped guide bars 18 are rigidly supported from the frame structure and extend vertically downward at the outward side of the inside lengths of the vertical chain belts. These guide bars hold the chains from spreading apart when carrying the trays and the angle brackets 13 secured on the chains project inwardly.

Vertical channel guide bars 19 are arranged to engage the tips of the upwardly moving brackets on the outward lengths of the chain belts.

The chain belts are driven from the lower end of the machine, as will be hereinafter described, and operate continuously, the sprockets 11 turning freely on their supporting shafts. The shafts 4t and 5 are operatively connected together at one end by a chain belt 20 which extends around a sprocket 21 secured on one of the shafts and around a pair of idler sprockets 22 and 23 so as to engage the sprocket 2 1 secured on the other shaft so that the chain will rotate the shafts 4 and 5 in opposite directions.

A clutch device is arranged upon the shaft 4 and it comprises a disc 25 which is secured to the shaft and a disc 26 which is loosely mounted on the shaft and is connected with the adjacent sprocket 11 and rotates constantly. The disc 26 is formed with the notch 26 in its perimeter and a dog 27 mounted on the disc 25 is arranged to engage the notch in the disc 26 to turn the disc 25 and thereby rotate the shafts 4 and 5.

An arm 28 pivotally mounted on brackets 29 arranged on the frame 1 is held by the spring 30 encircling its pivot pin so that a lug 31 on said arm engages the dog 27 to hold it out of operation, thereby holding the shafts 1 and 5 and the cams carried thereon stationary.

The free end of the arm 28 is provided with a guard finger 32 which is arranged in a vertical position and has an outwardly curved upper end and this guard is engaged by the tray when it is placed on the device.

The engagement of the lug 3'1 with the dog 27 normally holds the outer laterallyturned end of the latter clear of the peripheries of the discs 25 and 26 against the ac tion of the light spring connected to the dog, in which position the disc 26 is not locked to the disc 25 and rotates independently thereof.

On the placing of the tray in position to be lowered, the tray engages the guard finger 32, swings the arm 28 outwardly carrying the lug 31 clear of engagement with the dog. The dog when thus released, swings inwardly under the action of the spring connected therewith and the outer laterally turned end thereof is drawn into contact with the periphery of the rotating disc 26 against which it will ride until the notch 26 comes into register therewith at which point the laterally turned end of the dog will be drawn into the notch 26' and the discs 25 and 26 will then be locked together and will rotate in unison effecting the driving of the shafts 1 and 5 until the dog is again displaced from the notch 26 this displacement taking place when the disc 25 has been carried around a complete revolution as will be presently described. The rotation of the shafts 4 and 5 cause the cams 6 to rotate under the tray which is resting thereon and as the brackets 13 of the chain belts move around to the proper position in register with the step 8 in the cams the tray drops into the step 8 on the cams and engages the brackets 13 on the chain belts and as the cams rotate the step portion swings clear of the tray, leaving it supported by the chain brackets and it is carried downward by the descending chains.

The tray is thus carried below the guard finger 32 freeing the arm 28 which then swings back to its normal position shown in Figure 7 and in so doing the lug 31 thereof moves into the path of travel of the look-- ing dog 27 engaging the same to swing it outwardly clear of the notch 26 so that the drive between the discs 25 and 26 is broken and the disc 26 continues its normal rotation independent of the disc 25.

The channel guides 18 and 19 extend down into a room below the floor on which the device is placed and are rigidly secured at the lower end to a frame structure 33 which is of rectangular form.

Cross shafts 34 and 35 are journalled in the frame 33 parallel'with and in vertical alignment with the shafts 41- and 5 respectively and sprocketwheels 36' are secured on these shafts and engage the lower looped ends of the chain belts 12.

The shafts 34 and 35 are operatively connected together by a chain belt 37 arranged similar to the chain 20 connecting the shafts- 4 and 5 so that the shafts 34 and 35 operate in unison in opposite directions to drive the endless chain belts 12.

A suitable driving mechanism here shown in the form of an electric motor 38 is geared to a chain belt 39 which drives the shaft 34:.

The inner vertical channel guides 13 are secured to a horizontal frame 10 which is supported in an elevated position and carries a horizontal carrier belt 41 which is arranged in the downward path of the tray carrying chain sections 12 so that as the trays descend they ultimately engage the belt 41 and are left resting thereon.

The horizontal belt is driven in any suitable manner and extends any suitable distance to a desired place from which the trays may be removed.

A mechanism such as described is of a very simple construction and it enables the waiters in the dining-room to gather the soiled dishes in trays and then desposit them with a very simple movement on the top of the supporting cam. The action of placing the tray, automatically starts the mechanism into operation to lower the tray downward and it is carried down until removed from the vertical lowering device by the horizontal travelling belt.

The device has been described herein as particularly adapted for the handling of trays but it must be understood that it may be utilized for lowering any form of article having dimensions that will ensure its support by the chain brackets.

The device in the form herein described is particularly adapted for lowering articles but it may with equal facility be used as an elevator, lifting articles and carrying upward to the top where they will be supported by the circular portions of the cams from which they may be removed either manually or by suitable means.

WVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. A lowering device, comprising a frame adapted to be placed upon a floor, a plurality of vertically arranged carrier belts supported from said frame and having carrier brackets thereon, means for temporarily supporting the article to be lowered above said belts and adapted when operated to lower the article onto the carrier brackets of said belts, and means for intermittently effecting an operative connection of said temporary supporting means and said conveyor belts to cause the same to operate in unison for limited times.

2. In a lowering device, the combination with a rigid frame having a pair of parallelly arranged shafts journalled therein, a pair of sprocket wheels mounted on each of said shafts, chain belts extending around said sprocket wheels and vertically downward therefrom, supporting brackets arranged on said chain belts to support an article to be carried downwardly, and means for operating said belts, of intermittently operable means adapted to operate synchronously with said chain belts for temporarily supporting the article to be lowered and depositing the same on to the supporting members on the belt, and means actuated by the placing of the articles to be lowered on said intermittently operable means to effect the synchronous operation of said supporting means and belts.

3. A lowering device, comprising a rigid rectangular frame having a pair of shafts journalled at the top thereof, said shafts being parallelly arranged, a pair of sprocket wheels mounted on each of said shafts, a pair of cam wheels mounted on each of said shafts adjacent to the sprocket wheels and having part concentric perimeters and a stepped portion, chain belts looped around said sprocket wheels and extending vertically downward, bracket members secured to said chain belts adapted to register with the stepped portions of said cam members as said cams and sprockets rotate, means for driving the chain belts, and means for guiding the belts to retain their vertical position.

4;. A lowering device, comprising a rigid frame, a pair of horizontal shafts parallelly arranged in the top of said frame, sprocket wheels mounted on said shafts, endless chain belts supported on said sprocket wheels and extending vertically downward therefrom, carrier brackets equally spaced and arranged on said belts, rotatable supporting members arranged on said shafts adapted to support the article to be lowered and to place said article on the brackets of said chain, and means adapted to be engaged by the placing of said article on said supports for controlling the operation of the rotary supporting members.

5. A lowering device, comprising a rigid frame, a pair of horizontal shafts parallelly arranged in the top of said frame, sprocket wheels rotatably mounted 011 said shafts, endless chain belts supported on said sprocket wheels and extending vertically downward therefrom, carrier brackets equally spaced and arranged on said belts, rotatable supporting members secured on said shafts adapted to support the article to be lowered and to place said article on the brackets of said chain, a pivotal arm having a guard adapted to be engaged by the placing of an article on said supports, a clutch arranged on one of said shafts, and means carried by said pivotal arm for engaging said clutch to hold the support members out of operation and adapted upon being engaged by the article to be lowered to throw said clutch into operation.

6. A lowering device, comprising a frame adapted to be placed upon a floor, a plurality of vertically arranged carrier belts supported from said frame having carrier brackets thereon, intermittently operable means for temporarily supporting the article to be lowered above said belt-s and adapted when operated to place the article on the supporting members carried by said belts, and means actuated by the placing of said article on said operable supporting means for startin the latter into operation.

7. A lowering evice, comprising a frame adapted to be placed upon a floor, a plurality of vertically arranged carrier belts, shafts supporting said belts, and means mounted on said shafts for temporarily supporting above said belts the article to be lowered and adapted on the operation of said shafts to place the article on the supporting members carried by said belts.

8. A lowering device, comprising a frame adapted to be placed upon a floor, a pair of parallelly spaced shafts rotatably mounted in said frame, endless carrier belts supported from each of said shafts, and rotatable means mounted on each of said shafts adapted to temporarily support the article to be carried and .todeposit thesame on the supporting members of said belts.

9. A lowering device, comprising a frame adapted to be placed upon a floor, apair of parallelly spaced shafts rotatably mounted in said frame, endless carrier belts supported from each of said shafts, a pair of support members rigidly mounted on each of said shafts at spaced distances adapted to temporarily engage and support the article to be lowered and adapted when operated to deposit said article on the supporting members of said belts, and means controlled by the placing of an article on said supporting means for effecting the operation of said belt shafts.

RUDOLF D. DELAMERE. 

